The most popular nude lipstick sets are disrespecting darker skin tones

As a dark-skinned Black woman, I've grown to accept that most beauty products with a "nude" label probably aren't going to match my skin tone. Many brands seem to think that "nude" equals "medium beige," and that's it.

Just recently, Anastasia Beverly Hills was called out for using a Black woman to model a nude lipstick set in which there was no nude made for her. Twitter went off and the brand issued an apology.

The lack of shades is a problem, and I'm tired of it. I'm also tired of all the ways it doesn't get talked about. The diversity issue with foundation ranges has been a hot topic lately, but that's not the end of the ways brands "forget" about women with deeper complexions.

*All* of the product availability in the beauty industry needs improvement — including lipsticks. Brands seem to always leave out dark skin tones when they drop their nude lipstick collections and, uh, YEAH dark-skinned people notice!

Just look at these "nude" lipstick collections. The ways they're not including darker skin tones is shameful.

All nudes from the Kylie Cosmetics x KKW Beauty collaboration are pretty much for the same (light) skin tone.

Jeffree Star is a beauty influencer who spends all day on social media interacting with his huge fan base. Are none of those fans people with darker skin who deserve to enjoy his Mini Nudes Bundle ($52, Jeffree Star Cosmetics), too?

Only two of these lipsticks could pass as a flesh-toned nude. The other two shades are *clearly* dark orange and red.

I also tried to "find my nude" in Kat Von D's Find Your Nude Studded Kiss Lipstick Set ($60, Sephora) but despite the dark shades you see, my nude still isn't there — and neither is the nude for any other dark-skinned person.

The Find Your Nude Studded Kiss lipstick set ($60, Sephora) actually isn't even full of nudes — and the Sephora swatches tell it all. There are about two official nudes for lighter skin tones and the other three shades are variations of reds and pinks. I'm a Kat Von D fan who would have no problem throwing $60 her way, but where are my nudes Kat?

Maybelline pulled a similar trick for The Buffs collection. Four of the ten shades are passable for women of color with medium skin tones. The darker shades you see are mostly deep reds.

Diversity is about more than just fixing the hot button issue of the moment. A huge foundation shade range is trending now, but what about our other makeup needs?

Beauty brands really need to get it together. It's cute that some of you are *trying* to expand foundation ranges after years and years and years of us asking you to — but this isn't where the problem stops.

There seems to *always* have to be a fight for dark-skinned people to be included in the beauty community. Why does our inclusion have to be on a product by product basis? And why do we have to mostly settle for a handful of niche brands that cater to deep skin tones when we could simply be included in ALL mainstream brands?

Why do brands have to be dragged on Twitter or called out in Instagram comments before they realize that all skin tones should be included in their product ranges?

Dark-skinned people should not be an afterthought. Do better, and serve us with the same care and respect that you provide for lighter-skinned people.